You did what!?! You connected your tanks together, OMG

[1oooop]

so, I was wondering why my nitrates spiked one me, then I had an Epiphany so, I figured 15 CRS were too many for one 10 gal, so I decided to link 2X10 gals together with a few techniques I dream up every now and then.

1. The Materials
you will need
1 long tube(it kind of depends on what the tubing diameter coming out of your pump is and how much you need)
2 any pump that works for your tank(I prefer a 3 GPH per gallon)
3 a bigger dia. tube(depends on the GPH of your pump)
4 tools
1 something that you can cut your pipe with
maybe a screwdriver to secure a clamp
5 optional
a clamp(used to secure tubing to pump)
a polishing pad(maybe some polyester bed stuff[used as a prefilter and to keep your shrimp from dieing by impeller])
some activated carbon or whichever filter media you like

2. The filter and pump
The pre filter is optional but highly suggested
1. make the pre filter
this is quite easy, you get the pre filter stuff(whatever the heck you've chosen), make a bag, put the pump in, then the carbon, and close.
now here's the guide
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u201/1oooop/Picture469.jpg
you can substitute the sewing machine with a needle if you want
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u201/1oooop/Picture471.jpg
here's the pre filter I prefer, it's cheap and it works
okay, so you sew the bag like you would sew any other bag, by just plain sewing along 2 sides, then you put the pump in, fill er up with activated carbon, try your best to sew up the pump out end and it should look something like this
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u201/1oooop/Picture464.jpg
without the water and stuff

(this will be updated, just be patient, I got bored of writing)

[Lupin]

Nice project, Brandon.:)

[Hooked Newbie]

Interesting project. No way that 15 shrimp are overloading a 10G though.

[FluffynTex]

(this will be updated, just be patient, I got bored of writing)


Darn, and I was just getting started hehe, ok ready for an update lol

[dpenguinfish]

i was thinking about doing that for a pet progect

[1oooop]

Interesting project. No way that 15 shrimp are overloading a 10G though. lol along with a load of many little bugs(they're not parasites as I've been told) and a few snails YES it is

[Hooked Newbie]

lol along with a load of many little bugs(they're not parasites as I've been told) and a few snails YES it is

If you say so... :shakehead:

[davcheng]

I've had an excess of 200 shrimp +untold number of snails running on a small wimpy internal filter and it was fine.

[1oooop]

were they small?

[1oooop]

okay, so you have made your filter and now we connect the two tanks together

3. The connecting
here's how we connect the non-pump side
you first put the whole pipe into one tank

then you put a finger or something into the end you're going to place into the other tank

without taking the non-fingered end out of the tank, you lift the fingered side with your finger inside it and place it into your other tank,

then you should see some water transferring from tank to tank

(the two tanks must be level with each other[or at least close enough])

here's how we connect the pump side
push the pipe onto the pump's output

place it in the other tank

you're done

[jpappy789]

Interesting....though I don't think it was necessary...and I do not see you could have a nitrate "spike"

[1oooop]

nitrite spike, not nitrate LOL

[jpappy789]

hmm. I don't think it had anything to do with the number of shrimp in there. Any more pics? I can't quite visualize exactly what you are doing.

[davcheng]

Yep, Red Cherry Shrimp and some ramshorn(not the big kind)/pond snails/mts.

[1oooop]

so, no more posts? huh... BTW I don't have enough plants LOL

[krytan]

Is this going to be like a sump for a 10g tank? If so you will need a overflow box otherwise you risk emptying your water all over the floor.

[Preeths]

you might spread diseases from one tank to an other so be careful.

[cschilly]

why no pics?

[Alan R]

More pics! Please.

[1oooop]

pics :) more soming when I'm not bored...http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u201/1oooop/Picture462.jpg

[The Zigman]

Hmmmm.
I dont get it..
Nitrite spiking would usually indicate a BIOfilter issue, not sure why increasing the tank size would help..
How about some pix of both tanks? so we can see the enitre system..

[jmhart]

While this is kind of a cool project by it self, it's not going to help a nitrite spike. Nitrite above 0 is a problem with your cycle, not overstocking. 15 CRS definitely won't overload a 10g. Something else weird is going on.

I'd either suspect your test kit(buy a new one or take a water sample to your lfs) or maybe something wrong with your filter.

If you're doing this just for the sake of doing it, go for it. But if you are trying to solve your issue, see above. Also, wouldn't buying a used 20g be almost the same price as this whole project? You could probably find a 20g for $20 somewhere.

[kingearwig]

Yeah I don't get it either.

[DrNo]

How exactly does this help with a nitrite spike? It seems like what you've done here is set up a sump for a 10 gallon tank... using another 10 gallon tank. Are you managing for overflow in the event of a power failure?

[1oooop]

BTW, it turns out I overfed... LOL

[1oooop]

How exactly does this help with a nitrite spike? It seems like what you've done here is set up a sump for a 10 gallon tank... using another 10 gallon tank. Are you managing for overflow in the event of a power failure?
sump? LOL... no the tanks are level... so an overflow is utterly impossible... unless the siphon is broken... also... I found X 3x3+4x4=5x5, x is five :) LMAO
pics coming very soon... still working on camera problem

[1oooop]

While this is kind of a cool project by it self, it's not going to help a nitrite spike. Nitrite above 0 is a problem with your cycle, not overstocking. 15 CRS definitely won't overload a 10g. Something else weird is going on.

I'd either suspect your test kit(buy a new one or take a water sample to your lfs) or maybe something wrong with your filter.

If you're doing this just for the sake of doing it, go for it. But if you are trying to solve your issue, see above. Also, wouldn't buying a used 20g be almost the same price as this whole project? You could probably find a 20g for $20 somewhere.
I have to say... you're right.... they do sell 20g for 20$ but if I wanted to link many 20g tanks together...

[captmicha]

Jeez. The guy wanted to do something creative. Give him a break. Even if it won't do anything for the nitrates/nitrites.

And I want to see a picture of the finished product!

[1oooop]

well, I'm putting my initial design into some remoding... and I have a whole list of what I have to do... here's the list

□ reinforce table...
□ get PVC elbows
□ modify drink container to a filter by gluing to bottom of storage tank
□ get bio-media
□ think of way to prevent smaller RCS from going into storage tank full of fish

[jmhart]

I have to say... you're right.... they do sell 20g for 20$ but if I wanted to link many 20g tanks together...


Oh ok. I thought you were trying to solve the problem, but just wanting to connect two tanks cause you can is reason enough.


Glad you figured out the parameter problem.

[1oooop]

my snail told me to do it... evil snail!!!!

[1oooop]

yay!!!! update today :) sorry about poor image quality... my dad borrowed the tripod

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u201/1oooop/Picture187.jpg
my DIY overflow.... it doesn't work because of problems with the pipe dimensions

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u201/1oooop/Picture191.jpg
the other "tank"

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u201/1oooop/Picture199.jpg
a leak... along with some decorations I siliconed to the glass

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u201/1oooop/Picture200.jpg
another leak... sorry about poor image quality

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u201/1oooop/Picture210.jpg
the reactor(I was gonna put some bio-media in there)

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u201/1oooop/Picture204.jpg
the filter... used to keep the shrimps alive and me sane

[1oooop]

okay, new update... new overflow is coming on monday :) YAY!!!

[1oooop]

nvmd, busy throughout weekend... maybe next weekend

[DrNo]

Woah.... good luck with the Overflow issue. Here's to your DIY spirit :cheers:

[1oooop]

:) thanks... stupid overflow :( won't work... WAAAA